Device for producing forte effects with piano-players.



M. HANEMANN.

DEVICE FOR PRODUCING FORTE EFFECTS WITH PIANO PLAYERS. APPLICATION FILEDJULY 17, 1912.

I Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH cu., WASHINGTON. n. c.

MAX HANEMANN, OF MI TNSTER, GERMANY.

I DEVICE FOR PRODUCING FORTE EFFECTS WITH PIANO-PLAYERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 710,023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MAX HANEMANN, a subject of the King of Prussia,German Emperor, residing at Munster, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices forProducing Forte Effects with Piano-Players, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for producing crescendo anddiminuendo effects in piano players or other automatic musicalinstruments and more particularly to mechanisms of that type in whichtwo bellows are used in combination with two valve chambers. The suctionchannels leading to the two bellows are connected by anautomatically'acting valve disk, so that the connection is interruptedduring the ordinary playing while the valve disk is lifted if forteeffects have to be produced. The atmospheric air channel leading to thediaphragm of the chamber for the expression valves is normally closedbut when a forte effect has to be produced this diaphragm is eitherlifted by hand through the intermediary of a lever mechanism or throughspecial openings of the guide-block and through auxiliary perforationsof the musicsheet, so that the air can get under the two diaphragms ofthe bellows-valves.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is shown by way of example ina vertical cross section.

The ordinary playing is obtained in the well known manner by means of abellows 1 from which the air is sucked out through a'suction channel 2'by means of a valve system 3 when the atmospheric air flows through thepassage 4 of the tracker board 5 i into the channels 6 and 7, theopening 13 being closed through the disk 18 owing to the sucking actionin channel 2. The forte effects are produced by means of a secondbellows 9 which is operated and emptied in the same manner as thebellows 1 but through the intermediary of channel 10 and valve 11. Thesecond bellows 9 which in the construction shown by way of example is ofa larger size than the bellows 1 cooperates with the bellows 1 throughthe medium of a pusher 12 acting upon the bellows 1.

In order to insure the simultaneous opera tion of the valves 14 and 15and in order to limit the supply of atmospheric air to the apparatus tothe amount which is required for an ordinary piano-player, the diaphragmof the valve chamber 11 receives its supply of air through the channel16 from the main air channel 7 by means of the tracker board 5 wherebythe device differs from the devices of known construction in which aseparate air channel is provided for the valve of the second bellows.

The bellows 9 depends directly on the shut-off valve 17 which acts uponthe valve 15 and it depends indirectly on the valve disk 18, so that theforte effect or expression is not produced with the ordinary playing.The valve 17 effects the direct shutting 01f of the valve 15 for thereason that the diaphragm chamber 19 is filled with atmospheric airthrough the channel 20 while the chamber 16 above the diaphragm chamber19 is connected through the bleed hole 21 with the suction channel. Theefi'ect is the same as with the valve systems 3 and 1 of knownconstruction.

If, with the ordinary'playing, the valve 14 is operated so that thechannel 2 is connected with the suction channel the bellows 9 areindirectly shut-off by means of the valve disk 18 which, owing to thepresence of the air in channel 2 is pressed against its seat through theaction of the atmospheric air flowing in through the opening 22 and thechannel 10. If, however, the valve 15 has to be lifted for producing aforte effect, the passage 20 and the chamber 19 are connected with thesuction conduit so that the valve 17 drops and uncovers the channel 16.This reversing movement is either effected from the tracker board bymeans of the valve system A, or by hand. In order to insure a goodreversing of the valves 1 1, 15 and A, the construction of the valve Bdifi'ers from the known construction by being together with its chamber23 separated of the valve chamber and directly connected with thesuction channel of the wind chest; it further is arranged as close' ber23 is very short this channel is much quicker filled and exhausted thanusual although the escape hole 24L has only of the usual diameter. Thevalve 25, 26 therefore works very quickly. This arrangement permits ofproducing a quick succession of sounds, the successive sounds beingproduced with greater force and consequently much more distinct than isthe case with the mechanisms of known construction.

I claim 1. Device for producing forte effects with piano-playerscomprising in combination two bellows and two valve chambers for. eachsound, a common air channel connecting both valve chambers with thetracker board, suction channels one for each bellows and connected by anopening, an auto matically closing valve in said opening, a shut offvalve controlling said automatic valve and operated when the forteeffect is to be produced, substantially as described and shown and forthe purpose set forth.

2. Device for producing forte effects with piano-players comprising incombination two bellows and two valve chambers for each sound, a commonair channel connecting both valve chambers with the tracker board,suction channels one for each bellows and connected by an opening, anautomatically closing valve in said opening, a shut-off valvecontrolling said automatic valve and means for reversing said shut offvalve from the tracker board when the forte eflect is tobe produced,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

MAX HANEMANN. [L.s.'] Witnesses:

HELEN NUFER, ALBERT NurER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

